Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-09-29
FRIENDSHIP OF ANIMALS.

Some Instances of Strong Attachments
and Disinterested Devotion.
That the lower animals have their
special friends, or show preferences as
to their companions, no observer can
doubt. In some cases the friendship
is between two of the same tribe1
again, we find what are generally con-
sidered the most antagonistic forms
united in bonds of good-fellowship,
and we see acts of devotion and self
sacrifice that are almost identical with
those that characterize the friendship
of human beings. 1t is needless to
say that the impulses are much the
same in all; some processing an inter-.
est that is actuated entirely by greed
or for personal ends, while in others it
is unselfish.
Any one who has visited the herd of
elephants owned by Mr.. Barnum must
have noticed the large dog that stood
by the side of one of the huge pachy.
derms. To the visitor this might have
seemed accidental, but the dog was al
ways at its post by this particular
animal If the dog wandered off the
elephant showed its distress immedi-
ately by attempting 10 follow; strain
ing at the chain confined to it's ponder
Gus feet, or throwing aloft its trunk
and uttering the shrill whistle indicat-
i've of alarm, and only resuming the
monotonous swinging of the head
when its companion returned. The
elephant was observed caressing the
dog. and though the latter always
slept in the straw, sometimes beneath
its huge friend, it was never stepped
upon or crushed When the elephant
was led out to go through its task in
the ring, the dog would begin to bark
and endeavor to join the throng of
performers; so that it was perfectly
evident that tho friendship was mu-
tual.
In many Of the works of old writer's
are found instances of such attach
ments between man and beast. Aelian
records friendship between a little
girl, who sold flowers in the streets of
Antioch, and an elephant whom she
was in the habit of feeding. One Of
the elephants i'm the Barnum herd ex-
hibited great interest in little
daughter of one of the attendants; hold
ing her upon his trunk, and in many
ways showing it's affection.
In India elephants are SO trusted
that they are sometimes employed as
nurses, and have been seen tending
their Oh argos, lifting them gently back
when they were disposed to stray away.
r. M ives state that these great ami
hao T. "a
broken heart when depriv ed of GER
tain keeper, and Lieutenant Shipp, an
English officer of extensive experience
in the East, gives a minute account of
an elephant that died in what was
considered fit of remorse after hav-
ing killed its keeper.
While attachment between animals
is everywhere to be seen, it is not often
thai we witness such acts of disin.
terested devotion as we expect among
human beings. Mother-birds protect
their young in the face of every dan.
GER. but 1t must be confessed that few
observers have seen animals go to the
rescue Of others without maternal or
.paternal incentive, but such cases are,
not wanting.
Some years ago Scotch naturalist,
wishing to obtain gull. fired at a,
flock. breaking the wing OF one, which.
came futtering down, falling into the,
ocean At first the flock were demor-
allied and few wildly about. utter
ing harsh cries; but a moment later
they seemed to be recalled to a sense
of duty by the struggles of their
wounded comrade. and two birds
idarted down, seized it by the tips of
its wings, then rose and bore it away
in triumph; for, as. may be supposed,
the naturalist did not fire, but per-
mitted the rescue. Here was friend
ship indeed; hersism, in fact as the.
other birds alarmed by the fire faced
the same danger Vide AUake.